Container for fragile articles



Nov. 22, 1927.

G. S. FLETCHER CONTAINER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed April 17. 1926 5 Sheets-Shes?. 1

Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,337 G. s.. FLETCHER CONTAINER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed April 17. 1926' 5 sheets-sheet 2 I?? wei/1207 izbwwrfeezver j 16nd' @y 7W J diam-wf G. s. FLETCHER .GONIAINEIR FOR FRILE ARTICLES Filed April 17. 19,26 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I?? 0627302* feramr Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED s'riirus y 1,650,337 PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT S. FLETCHER, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTAINER FOB FRAGILE ARTICLES.

Applicatonled ApriI 17, 1926. Serial No. 12,760.

shipped alone or in quantity with others,as,

in the case of eggs up to a gross or more. Moreover, the protection should continue until the articleis removed from its container by the ultimate consumer er user.

lt is among the objects of the presentinvention to produce a container capable of satisfying the requirements suggested, one which will have low first cost, be light in weight and which can be used repeatedly. lt is a feature that the container can be cut and initially formed from sheet stock of somewhat elastic material, such as pasteboard, strawboard, other pulp-board or medium weight paper, and bersent to the packer in a substantially flat shape with one container nesting closely againstranother, thereby to save space during transmittal and while in storage waiting to be used. A further and important feature is that when a flattened container is removed from the pile and its center slightly pressed it will spring into enclosing form, Vready to receiv the thing it is designed to protect. l These objects and the features which charcterize the construction herein disclosed are attained by cutting or stamping from a sheet of suitable material a one-piece blank with scored lines indicating where the folds are to be made. After being so folded to a rectangular egg-enclosing shape the container may be tempered in a mold if it appears desirable. Whether tempered or not, afteifolding the container is opened andlaidin a flattish form resembling a Greek cross with its center kand extremities slightly raised and conifex-upward. In this condition it may be nested with others similarly opened, and

packed for distribution in commerce. Upon being laid out on a table one' by one, and touched at the center with a slight pressure, as by ones finger, the center will spring downward, snapping past the plane position, and the sides spring upward and tend to recontainer to be inspected.

main in concave or egg enclosing shape. lSuitable openings in the blank, one at 'its center and others in its extremities, which later fold over the egg, enable an egg in the Y Such an empty container, with others, can be placed in a box suitably proportioned to hold the number desired to be used, with'a nice lit. The egg can then be inserted in the top of each individual container, which will yield sufficiently to allow the egg to enter and then will snap back into its formed shape, locking the egg withinand protecting it from external pressures.v The box thus loaded can be sentto the consumer or to a retailer. When anv egg is to be used, a container is rst lifted from the box,

whereupon its four sides will naturally spread outward and downward, so that the egg may be freely removed. The container thus emptied may be stored in its open or flattisli shape, and others added thereto and nested therewithv until al suicient' number are thus collected to warrant their return to the producer, for another packing and shipment of eggs. Y

It is intended that the kpatent shallcover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

InV the accompanying drawing:

Figure l shows a blank from which a container embodying the invention may be formed; Y n

Figure 2 is a perspective of the blank after folding, showing the container in open or flattish position;V

Figure 3 is another perspective, showing the container in its closed or egg-enclosing position;

Figure 4 is an elevation of a container with egg, 1n section on line 5-5 of Fig. 5;.-

Figure 5 is a plan showing containers with contents in a vpacking box;

Figure 6 is a blank from which a modified form of container can be made;

Figure 7 is a perspective of the container formed from'the vblank of F ig.v 6;

Figure 8 is a plan of the center portion of a modified form of blank, preferable when paper is used; and

Figure 9 is a perspective of the portion of Figure 8, showing the bottom folded, the container being inverted.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the Aindividual containers are of such shape as to inclose an egg with eight surfaces of contact, four at each end portion of the egg, and with each surface tending to dissipate its pressure through the arch structure of the egg shell. The surfaces which bear against that part of the egg which is toward its point are numbered 10, their inner or bottom ends forming the sides of an opening 12, cut in the center of the blank. The outer edges of these four surfaces adjoin the four surfaces 14 which bear against the larger end of the egg. The individuals of each group of four surfaces are set obliquely, converging toward the respective end of the egg. Haring in mind that it is' planned to make the containers of elastic material, it can now be seen that the egg is gently supported by eight elastic surfaces, 10, 14, capable of yielding a little in case of any shock being transmitted to the egg; 'that consequently under ordinary circumstances only -one-fourth of the weight of the egg is borne at any one of the points of contact; and tiat the Obliquity with which the planes of support approach each other is such that neither tip end of the egg can touch bottom.

An important feature ofthe invention consists in the manner by which these eight surfaces in immediate contact with the egg are provided 'with oblique and rect-angular support, so that a shock imposed externally on the container is transmitted to the egg most indirectly, if at all. W'ings 16 extend in pairs edgewise in four directions from the axis of the containers, 'away from the surfaces 10. Gne pair of these wings is joined to the adjacent edges of two adjacent bearing surfaces, as for example along edges 10a and 10b, and joined to veach other along the line 16a, the joint in earch case being a fold, and the connection being really integral. Each wing folds downward or outward away from the edge of the. bearing surfaces to which it is joined, as seen in Figures Q and 8. l'lings 18 extend from the edges of the upper bearing surfaces 14 as at edge 14a. Each of these wings vfolds outward and upward along this edge 14a and has a more remote and marginal portion 18 which folds raround backward toward itself on line 18 into alignment with a similar portion of the corresponding wing attached to the other edge of the same bearing surface 14, as seen in Figure 5. The peak of the bearing surface 14 is cut away on an elliptical curve 14b which cutting continues around the edge of the wing 18 so that when this wing is folded outward on line 14 its upper end 18c turns inward over the egg '20, but removed from it a short distance, as shown in Figure 4. Scorings, indicated by dotted lines 18d, on the wing tips 18C, cause adjacent tips to curve away from each other, as seen in Figure 5.

lThe bearing surfaces and wings of the form shown in Figures 2-5 are all integral parts lof a single initial blank which is seen in Figure 1, where the lines other than edges represent creases made in the stock along which the parts are to be folded. The lines 10, 10b and 14a represent folds convex on the top 'of the blank, land the lines marked 1()c represent folds convex onthe under side of the blank, at which the upper bearing surfaces 14 fold up toward the eye and'ultimately inward over the egg. VThe lines marked 18b represent folds convex on the top side of the blank along which the portions 18EL of the wings and 18 fold downlv-ard,

l and ultimately outward as :already explained.

Thus each full line represents a cut edge or 'a convex fold and each dotted line la concave fold. vThe double line V'at' 1Gb represents a cut. After the blank has been cut and creased as indicated it is preferably crimped to the shape of Figure 2. For this, with stock which requires it, the parts are preferably wetted, then folded as illustrated and placed in a suitable mold which holds it in closed position. I have found that with many kinds of stock 'this is not necessary. By this or other suitable procedure the stock is given a set or tendency to remain with the surfaces 16 at a concave angle. When dried the stock is removed from the mold and placed in the flattish position shown in Figure 2, with the center and extremities of the blank upstanding and with theV lower bearing surfaces 10 divcrging downward from the central hole. The upper bearing surfaces 14 make a concave angle with the surfaces 10, being supported by the wings 18 whose folded back portions 18a lie flat on the table. Vhi'le thus opened many containers may be stacked together, one nesting within another, for shipment. wWhen removed from the stack and laid upon a flat surface, such as a table top, the upstanding center ofthe container may be pressed gently downward, either by ones finger or by plac-V ing the small end of an egg vin the opening 12. The downward pressure does not have to proceed very far before the container will reverse its shape and spring or snap into its closed position seen in Figure 3, the lower surfaces 10 coming to make a concavity, and coming into contact with the under part of the egg; and the upper surfaces 14 coming to position close by the upper part of the egg. As shown in Figure 3, the container has snapped to its closed position while empty,

and is ready to receive the egg which is preferably entered Vwith its little end downward. This snapping appears to `occur because of the set of the surfaces 16 in a relation of concavity. The depressing of the center of the blank from the vposition of Figure 2 attens their concavity, and when the dead center or plaine position has been passed the concavity can be formed again by the thrusting down of the center which the elasticity of the stock immediately does.

lThe container thus tends to remain in eitherthe position of Figure 2 or Figure 3, and will automatically assume either upon having its centre pushed that way.

Having been thus made liattish, the container can be placed in a suitable packing box of rectangular shape and of a size to fit the container. Gr as shown Ain Figure 5, a number of the containers can be placed in a single bex 22, so as to fill it, each container serving to maintain its neighbors in closed position. The container rests on the edges forming the sides of the central open= ing 12 and eachpair of lower wings 16 stand out with their cut edges 16b vertical adjoining `the side of the boX or similar wings of some other container.y The top wings 18 press against each other on the diagonal lines of the sqaare, and their folded back portions 18'"L stand outside of and may press againstthe convex side of the fold between 10 and 1&1, marked 10C, and against the sides of the box or against similar portions of wings on another container. The top edges of the upper wings alllie in a Vhorizontal plane so that they can bear against the cover of the packing box or can support a flat sheet of paper board placed upon Vthem in case another layer of containers is to be supported thereon. In this way the size of shipment can be varied as desired, a boX being chosen which is suited to the quantity of eggs to be shipped.

After being once placed in the container the egg need not be removed until it is desired to use it. If inspection is needed, the container can be gripped in the hand and `held before a candle, the bottom opening 12 and the opening between the top surfaces enabling the egg to be easily seen,'or, if preferred, openings may be provided in the sides. near the fold 10, so that the egg can be viewed sidewise through its body. TheV eggs can be displayed for sale and delivered intheir containers. Empty containers can be returned to the ,packer and used again; although the` cost of these containers is so low that they may be wastedk if preferred.

ln Figures 8 and 9 is shown a preferred foi-1n of bottom for theeontainer when paper is used. The center of the blank is not cut out. as in the blank of Figure 1, but is `left intact and creases z' and y'. are made, forming two squares one within the other. The creases 16a are extended in a straight line 16a through the corners of the outer square to the adjacent corners of the inner square and thecreases l()a and 10b turn where they reach the sides of the outer square and go perpendicularly along lines 10a and 10b toward the sides of the inner square, When the blank is folded the bottom folds inward along the si des e' of the outer square and the inner square 12a forms a bottom support for 4ners where they meetieach other.

the' small end 'of the egg. The material between the sides of the squaresv folds back against the surfaces 1() and againstl the sur'- inayfbe formed and folded to provide a con-1Y tainer embodying various features of lthe invention.

numbered 241i-, and those at the other end portion, numbered 26. All are set obliquely and those in each group'of four come together at a point at a little distance out-side of the adjacent end of the egg. lVings extending iii lpairs edgewise in four directions from the axis of the container providev rectangular support for the surfaces 24, 26 which are in in'iinediate contact withy the egg. `These wings extend further than the distance reached by the snfaces themselves, at the cor- This is seen clearlyl in lFigure 7 where the wings which ire attached to the upper surfaces are designated 28 andy those attached to the lower surfaces are numbered 30. In Figure 6 the full lines represent edges or creases on the blank on which the parts fold away from the eye (convex fold) and the short dash lines represent creases on the under side of the blank, on which the parts bend or fold toward the (concave'fold). There are openings 34 cut throughlthose parts of the wings which are in line with each otherl through ythe iiiid-portion of the blank and there are also notches 36 in those parts of the wings which are in line with the folds between the surfaces, the said openings and notches permitting the integral stock to .bend

' into the closed forni seen in Figure 7.

When the blank of Figure 6 folded, each part- 24 turns up until the edges i5 come to- Igether. The portions 30, between the edges of and creases a, turn downward or away from the eye along the edges b and upward or toward the eye along the creases a. The portions 88, between the creases a, turn upward along the creases a and downward along the creases c thus nesting rbetween the portions 30. 'Thus a pyi'ainidal shaped receptacle is formed of the surfaces 24, with each adjacent pair of edges b in contact, and with ,the intervening material 30 and 38 bulged outward and folded double together to form the wings, The edges a, and the edges (l, varound the center opening 34, come together horizontal lines at the bottom of the container`v and the edges a come together as vert-ical lines. c

Similarly the parts 26 fold inward, each Y In this type, as in the other de-' scribed, there are eight surfacesof Contact,

the Ioni'y at one end portion of the eggrbeing fifi iin-

ien

on its crease e, so that the points of these surfaces all come together' in the center. The wings 28 which Hank each ofthese surfaces 26 are at the same time folded back and outward on the creases f and as the edges of the surfaces 26 come together, each against its neighbor at the crease j, the extreme edges g of the wings 28 come together in a vertical line in alignment with the verticalV lines made by edges a', the wings themselves being fiat together. The other edges h of these wings 28 come together in horizontal lines, so that like the extreme bottom, the extreme top of the container consists of four double edges extending at right angles toeach other. Thus the wings extend to positions outside of the distances reached by any pair of adjacent surfaces and protect the surfaces from contact with the walls of a packing box or receptacle within which the containers may be placed.

The containers may be manufactured by any suitable process; but it is one feature of marked advantage that the process of manufacture can be carried out by machinery by a single operation in which the blank is cut out as represented in Figures l and fo and the various creases placed therein. rihe folding and crimping may be dono sul sequently by theshipper of the "illhcl a form like Figure 2 has been produced the process is so simple that it can be carried out by merely laying` the blank upon a table and depressing it centrally with the point of the egg. rlhe bottom half of the container is thus folded, and the upper half springs into shape and may be readily pressed tightly together by the lingers. ilVhen fitted in packing box the enclosure will be maintained about the egg.

lf it should appear desirable, in view of the wide range of size between the smallest and the largest size of eggs found in the market, Yto manufacture and supply containers of large shell capacity, this can readily be done independently of the gael-:- ing box by allowing a length of wing project-ion according to the size of body (shell capacity) of the container. ln the case of a very large egg, compared with one of average size, enclosed within a more capacious shell there would be space (but enough for protection) between its lateral extremities and the walls of the packing box. teeny number of body sir/,es would, by this means, become exchangeable so far as the box was concerned. lt is probable, however, that not more than two sizes, of pulp-board material, one for eggs that are small to medium and one for eggs that are medium to large, would be required, taking into account the elastic qualities, heretofore described inherent in the design and material of the container. The preferred material is libre board, relatively thin, and not too heavy. The thickness of the'material is exaggerated in the drawings for clearness of showing.

l claim as my invention: Y

142i container for an egg or the like, formed of sheet material and having a multiplicity of oblique surfaces in two groups oppositely arranged, adapted to engage the end portions of the egg, said surfaces being supported at their edges by wings extending outward and adapted to be the primary recipients of shocks, the said wings having edges parallel to and extending alongside of the axis of the egg.

.fr container for an egg or the like, formed of sheet material adapted to engage a multiplicity of sides at both ends of the and having wings `connected integrally with each such engaging surface and extending edgewise outward, guarding the said eggengaging surfaces from direct contact with exterior objects, the said wings having edges parallel to and extending alongside of the xls the egg. i

3. lV container' for an egg or the like, formed of sheet material having egg-engaginfr surfaces at both ends of the egg, each sur ace being substantially tangential to its adjacent surface and having supporting 'om the axis of the egg substantially angles to each other with edges l to the axis of the said egg.

fr container for an egg or the like,

ting of a sheet of material having creases radiating from a 'center that facilitate its being folded from a position in a proach each other and enclose the other end of the egg; and means for holding' said extensions thus together.

5. A container for an egg or the like, comprising a receptacle having creases in its walls whereby it is foldable between an open position and a. closed position in which there are interior oblique egg-engaging surfaces and exterior wings extending vertically and laterally in a multiplicity of directions wit-h p extending alongside the axis of said and adapted to be the primary recipients of shocks.

6. container for an egg or the like,

comprising a receptacle having creases in itsV projecting therefrom in direction mentioned creases vand opening opwalls whereby it is foldable between an open position and a closed positicn in which there are interior oblique egg-engaging yielding surfaces, also exterior wings with edges extendingalongside the axis of said egg with edges extending in the same dii ction as the axis of the at a distance from it, said wings extending non-yieldingly in the din rection of the axis and non-yieldingly in a multiplicity of directions from the axis and adapted to be the primary recipients and transmitters of shocks.

7. A container for an egg or the like, coinprising a sheet whose parts are integrally connected, scored and cut in form to fold into egg-engaging surfaces surrounding both end portions of the egg with points of contact with the egg only at said end portions thereof, and supports projecting laterally from between said engagement surfaces and having outer edges extending in the saine direction as the axis of the enclosed egg.

8. A container for an egg or the like, comprisinga single sheet having lines marked upon it and adapted to be folded on said lines; said lines being Iso located that when the sheet is folded thereon separate surfaces formed by the folding can engage an egg tangentially on four sides at one end, and tangentially on four sides at the ot-her end, while other portions, delimited by the said folds, project from the junctions between 'said tangentially engaging parts in four directions at angles with Aeach other.

9, A container for an egg or the like, formed of elastic and somewhat stiff sheet material, adapted to be approximately flat when in open position and to surround the when in closed position; said container, wl en open. having its center slightly raised and having a multiplicity of egg-engaging surfaces extending' outwz 'd flatwise from saidcenter and adapted, by pressure downward upon the centre, to spring upward into egg' enclosing position,

l0. A container for an egg or the like, formed of elastic and Qoinewhat stiff sheet material, adapted to be approximately flat when in open position and to surround the egg when in closed position; said container, when open, having its center slightly raised and having a multiplicity of egg-engagingI surfaces extending outward ilatwlse from said center, with wings joining adjacent edges of said surfaces and forming therewith a pyramidal shaped central portion; said surfaces and wings being adapted to snap past the plane position', upon said center being pressed downward, whereby the surfaces spring upward and inward into egg-enclosing position.

11. A container for an egg or the like, formed of sheet material having egg-engaging surfaces at both ends of the egg, each surface being substantially tangential to its adjacent egg surface; and having supporting wings projecting away from the egg between the egg-engaging surfaces at each end of the egg', with bearing portions, integrally attached, extending'toward eachother outside of said egg-engaging rsurfaces and forming a flat bearing surface for the container. A v

12. A container for an egg or the like, comprising a sheet whose parts aie integrally connected, scored and cut in form to fold into egg-engaging surfaces surrounding y both end portions of the egg, and supports projecting laterally from between vsaid engagement surfaces, having outer edges extending in the same direction asvthe axis of the enclosed egg, and having bearing portions attached to said edges and extending in planes substantially parallel with the eggs axis, and forming exterior bearing surfaces for the ycontain-er.

13. A container for an egg or the like, i

comprising a sheet whose parts are integrally connected, scored and cut to fold into egg-engaging surfaces surrounding both end portions of the egg; also having supports, projecting laterally 'from between said engagement surfaces, whose upper parts, extending in the same direction as the axis of the enclosed egg, have inner portions curved over one end of the egg, said inner portions being yieldable to permit insertion of the egg when the container is closed and being adapted to spring back into egg-retaining position after said egg has been so inserted.

14. A container for an egg or the like comprising a rectangular supported eggenblosing cell adapted to be packed within a box; each cell having interior surfaces arranged for tangential support of the egg, and having exterior bearing portions eX- tending in the direction of the axis of the egg and adapted to rest against the wall of the box and against similar surfaces on an adjacent container. v

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this fourteenth day of October, 1925.

GILBERT S. FLETCHER. 

